Monday, June 15, 2015
howeenterprise.com
Page #9
Learn about your antiques and collectibles with Georgia Caraway jewels and other trim (the jewels came from West Germany and Czechoslovakia). Next, the leather trim was added and the leather zippered pocket assembled and sewn in the interior. Finally the mahogany base was attached with glue and then nails. The box bags required nearly as many steps. The bags were expensive for that time at $22+. Enid Collins was one of the more successful of the fashion designers who received her degree in costume design from Texas Womans University. Collins designed wooden box purses and canvas/leather purses from her factories in Medina and Fredericksburg, Texas from 1958 until 1970 when she sold her company, Collins of Texas, to the Tandy Corporation of Fort Worth. She sold her purses at the Medina location as well as a shop in Fredericksburg and even from a showroom on Fifth Avenue in New York. During the height of their popularity, Collins bags were sold through more than 2,000 stores in the United States including Neiman Marcus. In the summer of 1968, the Fredericksburg plant was producing 1,000 handcrafted bags per week.
Each design was given a name that was painted on the side of the purse. Enid Collins designs always have her name and or initials “ec” on them. If you see a “running horse” logo on the front, this indicates the Tandy trademark. Enid did not design the bags with the Tandy logo. After she sold Collins of Texas to Tandy she worked for them for a year but after design disputes, she was fired. Collectors describe these bags as Collins of Texas by Tandy, but not Enid Collins bags.
Dr. Georgia Caraway, former director of the Denton County Museums for 14 years, and her friends opened the Howe Mercantile on April 25. Store hours are Thursday through Saturday noon until 8 p.m. In addition to Tips, Tools, & Techniques: Caring for Your Antiques and Collectibles, she has written four Denton history books and is working on a 5th history about the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo.
Is this distinction important? You bet it is.
Hynds family recognized by local American Legion Post
One of the original charter members of the local American Legion post was Henry D. Hynds, who was born in McKinney in 1896. The bags came in a variety of shapes and sizes During World War I, he served as a lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. After the war, Hynds and no two were exactly alike because they worked in the family cotton business in were all hand decorated. The most popular Oklahoma until his marriage in 1921 to Helen styles were u-shaped, leather-trimmed linenUmphress. Henry and Helen would make their like bags with wooden bottoms, wooden boxes home in Van Alstyne, where they would make and leather saddlebags. Clutch bags were also their home and raise two sons and a daughter. One of those sons was Robert Hynds, who was made. on-hand Saturday afternoon at the dedication. The process for making the linen bags was quite labor intensive. First, the Belgian linen was cut to size and laminated to a stiff backing. One or more silk-screen transfers followed. Some hand painting might also be involved. After drying overnight, the bags were ready for the application of cording, glass
Purist collectors place a higher value on the EC bags than the Tandy bags. Especially if they still have the original Collins sales tag attached. Enid Collins bags still hold great appeal for collectors. And with the resurgence of retroclothes, young women (and with-it older women) are seeking out original 1960s-70s Enids to carry. Look in your Mom’s and aunt’s closets—you probably will find an Enid. But be sure to wear your sunglasses—the jewels in these beauties may blind you.
Carl Bilderback gave the presentation to honor the Hynds family. Along with Robert Hynds, members of the family that were present were Michael Hynds, Tohnie Hynds and Bill Benton. The family has been leaders in the local banking community at Texas Star Bank for many years.
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Howe Youth Football signups online Howe Youth Football Commissioner Chris Campbell announced that those interested in signing up to play youth football this fall can now register at www.leaguelineup.com and searching for Howe Youth Football. Registration is $90 for students entering Kindergarten through 6th grade.
